WV Urban Hippies: Mistakes happen.

Mistakes. You make them. I make them.

Actually, I make them a lot.

And so do my kids.

No real surprise here. Kids mess up. They don't do what you want them to. They do what you don't want them to. That's why we're the parents. It's up to us to guide and teach them how to navigate in this big world.

One piece of advice that I try (really try) to follow was given to me by my dear friend Sarah. I can remember playing with her daughter Debbie at their home when I was a young girl, and even at that age I knew it different - it was a peaceful home. Accidents happened, mistakes were made, milk was spilled at the table - but there was no yelling over these things. There were consequences for actions, but looking back I can see there was also an amazing amount of grace.

Sarah told me that as a mom it is my job to be my kid's safe landing. Let them make mistakes - they need to learn. To know that they are not perfect - but they will receive grace when they fail. Just as Christ has shown each of us grace.

I'd love to be able to tell you that I am awesome at doing this, but I'm not. Not yet, anyway. I pray daily, sometime hourly. Let's face it sometimes it's a shout out "Lord! Give me strength with this kid right now!"

I remind myself just as Christ has shown me grace, I need to show them grace.

And hopefully they'll always know I'm their safe landing whenever they need it.